New Blue
by Philpott397
Summary: Blue team gets another freelancer after the Meta incident. He recovers from the hell of Project Freelancer in Valhalla, before someone screws it up.
1. Chapter 1

New blue

"Hey Caboose please tell me why you want to bring this guy to Valhalla?" Tucker asked Caboose as he eyed the sleeping soldier with caution.

They had been at sidewinder for a while waiting for the UNSC to show up. In the mean time they had decided to camp out in blue base out of the cold night. Sarge slept on a cot in the corner of the base holding his shotgun tight, while he mumbled something about killing Grif. Grif and Simmons played cards on a worn table in the middle of the room as Tucker and Caboose watched. Washington, hell what a mouthful, lay on a cot the opposite corner wrapped like a mummy from his battle with the Meta. Doc sat slumped in a chair by him looking over to Washington every now and again.

"Because he helped us Tucker, and we need a new Church." Caboose said watching Grif deal cards to Simmons.

"Yeah we sure need another asshole yelling orders at us." Tucker said sarcasm thick in his tired voice.

"Should just have let the asshole die with his buddy." Simmons grumbled looking over his cards. The memory of Donut clutching his bleeding stomach coming to mind.

"But, he needs our help. Tucker please let me keep him please." Caboose whined.

Tucker sighed. This wasn't just a stray animal they could take in. He was a freelancer, pretty much the guy version of the bitch Tex. Simmons was also right, he from what Tucker had heard, had shot Donut. Tucker looked over to Washington who lay their completely unaware that his fate was being determined by idiots who took enough pitty on him to save his ass from turning the snow outside into a theoretical cherry snow cone. Now he lay still on a cot without armor breathing steadily as a bare bone medic that somehow saved him, watched over him. Tucker looked at his broken form settling on his head. Washington's blond hair had hints of grey, a thin scar ran from his right temple to the edge of his eyebrow. He didn't look like a killer, sure he had some rough edges, but the dude looked young.

"Fine we can keep him, but if he goes nuts I'm going all swish swish stab on him." Tucker said.

"What the fuck Tucker. The guy shot and killed Donut and you want to take him home?" Simmons said slamming his cards on the table.

"Dude you heard about the shit that happened in the project. He probably got desperate, its not his fault Simmons." Tucker said almost defensive over the guy he had just met.

"Tuckers right Simmons." Doc said looking up from Washington and walking over to their table. "We talked a little while I was captured, he's not a bad guy."

"Doc he captured you and drug you around with him just for information. Why the hell would you defend him." Simmons said his argument fading.

"He had a AI commit suicide in his head Simmons. The Meta was the last of his freelancer buddies. He had to recover the bodies of them. He got shot in the back by his teammate. All he wanted was his freedom and some peace back and getting Epsilon was a way to do it. So yes I'll defend the poor guy before I let you throw him off a cliff." Doc said standing between them and Washington's still form.

"Wow, I didn't know that. Sorry Doc." Simmons said looking at Washington's form.

"Uhh what the." The five turned to see Washington moaning and running a hand over his chest before looking over at them, surprise written on every inch if his face.

"Hi Washingtub how are you." Caboose said bounding over to the xfreelancers side.

"Um, fine I guess. Why did you guys help me?" Washington said suspicion in his weak voice.

"Because you didn't deserve to bleed out in the snow. Dude don't question the miracle that you survived." Tucker said.

"So now what?" Washington asked hesitant to hear the answer.

"Were gonna let you on blue team if you want. You'll just get Church's armor, fake your death to the UNSC." Tucker said.

"Really? You guys would take me in after all the shit I put you through." Wash said shocked that after all he did. Taking the alpha to his death, then shooting two of the reds, not to mention the whole hunt them down thing.

"It's too much work to hold a grudge here Washington. Besides we did run you over and blow you up so I say were about even."Grif said reshuffling the cards.

"Wash." Washington said. "Huh?" Grif said watching Washington sit up so his was perpendicular to the cot slumped on the wall, holding his chest. "My friends call me Wash."

"Cool were all buddies now can we get him in Church's armor before the UNSC shows up." Tucker said standing up to get Church's armor that was piled in a corner.

Doc and Grif helped began strapping armor onto Wash. They both carefully worked apologizing to Wash every time he cringed when they tightened the armor around his raw wounds. Caboose brought over more pieces of armor Tucker had painted with yellow accents. Wash smiled when he saw what the blue soldiers had done for him, before cringing when Grif adjusted his chest plate over his bandages. Doc layed Wash back down the cot creaking under the added weight of the armor. Wash breathed as he adjusted to the armor that clung tightly to his wounds.

"Get some sleep Wash." Tucker said walking to the entrance of the base.

Wash let his breathing even out before letting himself lapse back into unconsciousness.

As the sun rose over sidewinder Tucker watched a UNSC pelican land by the cliff, probably looking for the Meta. Tucker ran in the base to see the reds talking while Caboose listened. Wash was sitting up on his cot deep in a coughing fit as Doc beside him rubbing his back while holding him up with the other hand. Tucker was concerned it couldn't be good for Wash to stay in that armor as fucked up as he was.

"Hey guys UNSC's here we need to go see them. Wash you ok to walk?" Tucker said glancing at Wash who had controlled his coughing, but you could see the pain in his face as he leaned partially on Doc.

"Yeah...Doc can you help me." Wash said wincing as Doc helped him up. He staggered as he held onto Doc for support.

"Hey Sarge you guys go in front of Tucker and Caboose. We'll hang behind you guys so they can't see me helping Wash." Doc said.

Sarge nodded as red team headed out the door. Tucker and Caboose followed as Doc and Wash walked behind them toward the soldiers. Tucker glanced back at Wash who was leaning heavily on Doc as he stumbled behind the group.

"Hey we found some reds and blues sir." A soldier shouted to his sergeant as the two walked over to the group. The group stopped as they approached. Wash stood on his own as Doc watched him ready to help if he stumbled.

"Hey did you guys do this?" The sergeant asked pointing to the bodie of Tex and Wash's blood covered armor.

"Yep we kicked the Metas ass after he killed those two." Tucker said.

"And the pelican in the water?" The sergeant asked looking over the group.

"The Meta must have crashed it here before we showed up." Tucker said stepping to his side to block the sergeants view of Wash.

"Ok, well you need to go back to your simulation bases while we sort this out." The sergeant said.

"We just call them bases" Sarge said.

The sergeant just grunted a reply and turned to leave. "Hey can we use one of your warthogs to get back?" Grif asked not wanting to walk all the way back or drag Wash that distance.

"Yeah sure take one of the troop transport models." The sergeant said pointing to a line of warthogs.

Tucker ran over to the warthogs, jumping in as he grabbed the keys from the center consul. He drove over to the others parking the warthog and getting out to help. Simmons and Grif climbed in the back seat, Sarge jumped in the drivers seat with Caboose next to him, as Tucker and Doc helped Wash to lay across the long seat in the back of the Warhol before climbing in the seat across from him. Sarge took off toward Valhalla once the two got in.

"Can I take this armor off know." Wash said weakly.

Doc nodded to Tucker as they started to peal away his armor putting it into a discarded duffle bag. Wash cringed as Tucker sat him up to remove his back plate. Grif rummaged under the back seat finding a blanket from the warthog's emergency kit handing it back to Tucker. Tucker wrapped Wash in the blanket as Doc stuffed the last of his armor into the bag.

"How's that Wash?" Tucker asked tucking in the blanket around Wash.

"Great, thanks." Wash said falling into a exhausted rest.

"He gonna be ok Doc?" Tucker asked settling on the seat.

"Back at Valhalla, doing nothing, he'll be fine. Probably be the first time he relaxed." Doc said checking Wash's bandages, replacing the ones dotted with blood.

Tucker leaned back against the seat and fell asleep as Sarge drove on toward Valhalla. The group arrived two hours later as Sarge stopped at base. The reds stood stretching as Tucker woke up from the stop of motion. He stepped out of the vehicle stretching before helping Doc lift a still asleep Wash into the room next to Caboose's. Doc tucked him in as Tucker set the bag of armor next to a dresser. Doc left the two alone for a moment, leaving to grab a spare bed from the blues supply room. Tucker left Doc to set up his bed while he settled into his room at the new base. Tucker took off his armor setting it in a pile by his dresser as he climbed into bed, falling asleep as the reds drove toward their own base.

Tucker awoke to the smell of sizzling bacon. Tucker inhaled the intoxicating aroma as he slipped a pair of grey sweats and a aqua t-shirt on before opening his door and walking down to the kitchen. Caboose sat on a stool dressed in black sweats and a blue shirt, eating his bacon and eggs at the breakfast bar. Doc cooked in the same atire but with a purple shirt. Wash was laying on the couch in some grey sweats and a yellow muscle shirt eating his breakfast. Tucker smiled looking at Wash's relaxed expression as he ate. Remembering his own hunger Tucker grabbed a plate and loaded up before sitting in a recliner next to Wash.

"Nice Tucker, Wash managed to get up before you." Doc said chuckling as he sat next to Caboose with his breakfast.

"Oh shut up Doc, so hows it going Wash?" Tucker said crunching on his bacon.

"Well considering the amount of painkillers I'm on, not being in a fucked up program, and this bacon. I feel better than I have years Tucker. Thanks for letting me have this." Wash said with a honest to god smile that made Tucker feel like he had done something right for once.

"No problem Wash, besides having you on blue team will scare the shit out of the reds if they start attacking us again." Tucker said getting up to refill his plate grabbing Wash's too.

"Like having that mean lady back but without the lady and mean part." Caboose said happily.

"Yeah just don't be a bitch like Tex and you'll do fine here Wash." Tucker said handing Wash his refilled plate before sitting back down with his own.

2 WEEKS AFTER META INCIDENT

It was a early morning at Valhalla. The reds and blues had yet to wake up to another day of fighting, shouting, and surrenders involving the most abstract ideas Wash had ever heard. Wash and Sarge had just completed their fifth lap around the canyon when they stopped at the shoreline. Wash had to admit the guy was in great shape despite his age. He liked his morning runs with the guy. Every time Sarge told him a story of the days at blood gulch and Wash would share one from the project. It was nice getting his history off his chest, sort of a therapy from the shit he had been through. All in all that's what this place was to Wash a escape from his past, and a new team that actually gave two shits about him.

"So same time tomorrow dirtbag?" Sarge asked stretching his calves.

"Yep same time Sarge." Wash said turning to walk back to blue base, but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Tucker scream.

"Get away from me you bitch, ow fuck lady." Tucker yelled from blue base.

Sarge nodded to Wash as they ran toward blue base. Tucker was on the ground in front of blue base holding his groin as he rocked back and forth. Then a figure in turquoise reckon armor stepped out of blue base gaze fixed on Wash clad in Epsilon's armor.

"Hey Epsilon nice of you to show up." A female voice said.

Wash's jaw dropped it couldn't be not her she's dead, she went off that cliff years ago. Wash felt his peaceful escape collapse around him. No, he finally had a place away from everything and his past still found him.

"Goddammit, why, I finally had closure why does the universe fucking hate me!" Wash shouted throwing his hands in the air as he stepped away.

"Wait Wash, your supposed to be dead." The figure said taking off her helmet to reveal red hair and piercing green eyes.

"You are too Carolina, but here we are." Wash said ripping off his helmet.

Carolina was shocked. She had read the report of his death at the Meta's hand. Now he stood in front of her with the same grey eyes and blond hair now streaked with grey.

"Wanna kill the director with me?" Carolina asked.


	2. part 2

New Blue part two

Carolina found herself in the kitchen of blue base staring at her helmet in her hands. She had been following them since she had heard that Epsilon was the only AI not confirmed dead in the EMP that hit the freelancer HQ. Then seeing the reds and blues drag his storage unit into the base at sidewinder. Still she had missed seeing them take Wash into the base, too focused on getting back at the director. She had been sure the figure that walked behind their group had been Epsilon.

Now she sat and waited.

The one that wore the same color armor as her, Tucker she heard him say along with a pickup line before she had caved in his crotch. He was trying to get Wash off the roof of the base. The sound of his pacing echoed in the kitchen where she Caboose, and Doc sat in tense silence waiting.

"Wash come on we have to talk about this." Tucker pleaded as Wash continued to pace the rooftop.

"I was fine for once...away from everything...why does the universe hate me." Wash mumbled as he paced ignoring Tuckers pleading.

Tucker walked back into the kitchen leaving Wash to cool down. He sat his helmet on the bar and sighed before turning to the freelancer that had kicked in his codpiece.

"So, Wash isn't coming down anytime soon. You kind of fucked up his retirement plan of being cut off from everything while relaxing in a backwater canyon drinking beer on the beach." Tucker said crossing his arms across his chest.

"Ok, I'm Carolina by the way was Wash's leader back in the project." Carolina said, flinching at the name.

"Hi state lady, I hope your not like the last one we had on blue team, she was very mean." Caboose said shifting on the bar stool.

"Well why are you here then?" Tucker said.

"I suspected that the Epsilon AI was with you after the EMP. I need his memories to track down the director of project freelancer. He and I have some unfinished business." Carolina said as she scowled at her helmet just thinking about what the man had done.

"Well as you've seen he isn't here, the UNSC took his storage unit after we called Wash here as quickly as possible. The unit itself died after Church went in it to find his girlfriend." Tucker said.

"Ok, would you guys be interested in helping me getting Epsilon back and finding the director?" Carolina said looking up from her helmet to Tucker.

"Uhh one sec." Tucker said turning to the ramp to the base roof and yelled. "Wash get your ass down here now, Carolina wants our help and I need you opinion."

"Fuck off Tucker there's no way I'm helping that bitch with anything related to that goddamn project." Wash shouted back as the sound of his pacing continued.

"Umm." Tucker said turning back to the group, nervously rubbing his neck. "I don't think he's cooled down enough for a rational conversation. Caboose go drag Wash to his room. Carolina you can stay until Wash can talk to you then we'll make a decision." Tucker said as Caboose went up the ramp.

"Thanks Tucker." Carolina said as Caboose came down the ramp with a struggling Wash held tightly in his arms.

"Last room to the left Carolina." Tucker said heading with Caboose.

After Carolina walked into her room and Tucker heard the door shut and lock, he turned toward Washs room. He opened the door to find Wash on his bed with Caboose sitting in desk chair by the door preventing a escape.

"Caboose go to bed I'll talk with Wash, thanks for your help bud." Tucker said shuffling Caboose's messy hair.

"Ok Tucker, goodnight Wash." Caboose said as he left for his room.

"Dude we need to talk." Tucker said pulling up the chair Caboose had had to the edge of Wash's bed.

Wash said nothing and just stared at the wall beside him. He hugged his knees close as his head rested on his knees. The pictures from his past lined the wall. From being a ODST to the first peaceful days of project freelancer. One had Wash in his ODST armor smiling as his arms hung over two other soldiers that Tucker assumed were in his squad. Their smiling faces were covered with dust and grime as a UNSC camp was busy behind them on some dry planet. Another was Wash is his classic grey and yellow armor holding a airhorn to a open door. A freelancer in a tan with white accented armor stood behind him grinning, a small scar hidden under his eye. Inside the room was a large bald man covered with a sheet, his armor lay on the floor in a mass of white. Wash had a innocent look as his hand rounded the doors threshold along with a look of impending doom. Wash stared at them with a look of longing. Longing to have happier times back.

"Wash please, talk to me." Tucker quietly pleaded as his head sunk lower in defeat.

"I'm sorry, I just thought it was all finally over. That I could have a normal life again and be happy. I guess this just goes in a cycle for me anyway. I find a great team in the ODSTs, then there slaughtered by the covenant in front of me as I'm pulled off the battlefield bloody and broken. I fit in as a freelancer but then my friends turn on eachother and I go insane. Then I find you guys, I have a family a team again that comes back for me through everything. Then it gets ripped away from me again. I'm sick of it." Wash said sobbing at the end dipping his head between his knees in defeat.

Tucker looked up with pity in his eyes for the exfreelancer sobbing in front of him. Tucker had never known anything about Wash besides the story's he or the others told. The guy had been tossed in a vicious cycle his whole life. No wonder he lost it when his boss came back.

"Wash, can we just talk to Carolina tomorrow? Get everything out then decide on a plan. I promise if you don't agree after that we won't go either. We can throw her out of the canyon and go back to the way the past few weeks have been, ok." Tucker said standing and rubbing Wash's back.

"Ok, thanks Tucker. I'll talk tomorrow." Wash said as he started taking off his armor.

Tucker walked back to his room pausing to make sure Caboose had went to bed. The blue private was sitting on his bunk in his pjs reading one of his books as Tucker came in.

"Tucker, is Wash ok now? He's not going to be mean and scary again is he?" Caboose asked as Tucker sat on the edge of his bed.

"No Caboose, Wash is fine he just needed to calm down. Why don't you go to sleep now ok." Tucker said taking his book and putting it on the shelf next to his other books.

After he shut Caboose's door he went to his own room. He made his way to his bed stepping over discarded clothing as he peeled of his armor adding to one of the piles of clothes. He collapsed on his bed hoping tomorrow would be better.


End file.
